[Alternate title - Filmi Girl loves vamps, comedians, and villains way more than heroes and heroines.]

#11 Puja Gupta in F.A.L.T.U.

What I said then: Puja Gupta rocked my socks. The girl is adorable and completely charming.

What I remember now: Bollywood is full of model-beauty queens who want to break into films. The secret formula of luck and behind-the-scenes machinations that separates a potential Priyanka Chopra from a potential Sarah Jane is mysterious and has little to do with on-screen talent... if it did, Puja Gupta would be getting cast in better things than Jackky Bhagnani starrers.

#10 Rimi Sen in Thank You

What I said then: The ladies are all very engaging - especially Rimi Sen, who was a sight for sore eyes. I’ve been a big fan of Rimi’s for years and her comic timing has only gotten better. Rimi nailed every scene - holding her own against Irrfan like few actresses can.

What I remember now: I don't know where Rimi Sen has disappeared off to - possibly some limbo where actresses who are not superstar heroines but are over 25 vanish off to - but she really was hilarious in Thank You and stole scenes right out from under the nose of the uncles she was working with.

#9 Johnny Tri Nguyen in 7aum Arivu

What I said then: Dong Lee [Johnny's character] is essentially a human being taken to extreme levels of perfection - a strapping hunk with impeccable fighting skills and mind control abilities - but removed of conscience.

What I remember now: Johnny's performance inspired me to go look up his Vietnamese films, including The Rebel, which I actually need to write up for you. Whatever "it" is, Johnny has got it in spades. A running theme here - you need some serious onscreen sparkle to stand up to a hero like Suriya but Johnny did it and then some! He would have ranked higher on the list if only Dong Lee had been a more physical villain, less of a "mind powers" one.

#8 Katrina Kaif in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

What I said then: The girls were all good, even if their characters weren’t quite fleshed out.

What I remember now: Wow! I was kind of surprised that I barely mentioned Katrina because she is the part of this film I remember best - her easy-going manner and breezy smile. Katrina really shines bright and I hope she continues to do so in 2012. No more plastic surgery, bb, please.

#7 Deepak Dobriyal in Tanu Weds Manu

What I said then: The real scene stealer of the film was Deepak Dobriyal as Manu’s friend Pappi. He knocked every laugh line right out of the park with ease.

What I remember now: Jimmy Shergil's doe-eyed act was really wonderful but it's Deepak who walked away with Tanu Weds Manu. He's got a very vivid onscreen presence and his Pappi was both pervy and sweet in equal parts. It's the kind of performance that makes the film pop but ends up underappreciated and overlooked because it's not by a "name" actor. Well, I &hearts you, Deepak!

#6 Parineeti Chopra in Ladies VS Ricky Bahl

What I said then: Parineeti Chopra is a firecracker. She played Dimpy with exactly the right amount of spoiled brat and hilarious loudmouth. We all have friends like that, right? Plus, it was quite a treat to see a figure onscreen that was, well, untouched by the Yash Raj rigid diet rules.

What I remember now: Well, Ladies wasn't that long ago so... basically, that is exactly what I think now! Parineeti Chopra for President!

#5 Charmee in Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap

What I said then: Charmee (who you might remember from the excellent Pournami and Anukokunda Oka Roju) has a cute little father-daughter relationship with Amitabh and is just really super cute.

What I remember now: Charmee's butt in fantastic in this movie, which is most likely the reason she's been working with Ram Gopal Verma. Like Rimi Sen, Charmee is an old pro with great comic timing and, like Rimi Sen, I can't figure out why she hasn't broken big as a heroine except maybe she's got too much personality and not enough family connections.

#4 Alexx O'Nell in Urumi

What I said then: Estêvão da Gama, as played by one of India’s finest firang actors, Alexx O’Nell, is a fascinating character. After being given a villain entrance that rivals Gabbar Singh, Alexx goes on to give Estêvão human emotion along with the evil posturing. Estêvão may be partial to the same mutilation-as-punishment as his father but we also see some compassion when he is faced with a young girl who has been brutally raped.

What I remember now: Basically the above. It's not easy to hold your own opposite one of India's finest performers (Prabhu Deva) but Alexx does a fantastic job and his Estêvão is one of the highlights of the film.

#3 Ali Zafar in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan

What I said then: Ali Zafar was phenomenal and stole almost every scene he was in. Ali was a typhoon of charisma and the camera just loved him. Ali played Luv with a healthy serving of smarm, as if Luv didn't think he was cool, Luv knew he was cool. Ali was all eyebrow raises and bedroom eyes towards Dimple and employed humorous brotherly expressions with Kush. And Ali knows how to emote.

What I remember now: ALI ZAFAR! ALI ZAFAR! ALI ZAFAR! As soon as he stepped on screen, it was like "Imran, who?" in our theater.

What I said then: Now, I’ve gone on record saying a hero is only as strong as the villain he has to defeat. Well, John has his work cut out for him with Vidyut Jammwal, playing Vishnu. This guy was amazing. From his introduction scene to his final bow-out - neither of which I will spoil for you - he kept my eyes glued to the screen. Vidyut has the fluid grace of an uncaged tiger. He drew the camera to him with a single tilt of the head. He singed the hearts of the ladies in the back row of the theater with his smouldering gaze. He was monomanicaly evil and I loved it. The last five to ten minutes of the film is a giant fight between Yash and Vishnu and I wanted to rewind and watch again. He’s just that good.

What I remember now: I barely remember John at all in this movie... if somebody cut together every Vidyut fight scene from that incredible entrance to the EVEN MORE INCREDIBLE ending sequence, I'd happily pay money to own it. I'm glad Vidyut has accepted some offers down South, where they know what to do with a badass villain.
#1 Pitobash in Shor in the City

What I said then: Nikhil Diwedi was a bit underwhelming but it’s probably not fair to judge him too harshly because almost anybody would have dimmed next to the flaming mass of charisma that is Pitobash. This guy totally rocked my socks with his slightly unhinged performance as Mandook. There is one scene early on where he is jokingly waving around a gun that has no bullets in it. Tilak and Ramesh sort of roll their eyes and walk off and just Mandook is left in frame. The camera lingers on him as he holds the gun up to his head and Pitobash is so good in this scene that I could barely watch for fear that he was actually going to shoot himself.

What I remember now: *emphasis added above* If you see one film from 2011, make it Shor in the City. Our Pitobash will be seen in a handful of films in 2012 and believe you me, I will be shelling out HARD CASH for them all. This guy has got IT with a capital I.T.

J. Nguyen's CLASH was also pretty good. (Slick Vietnamese action. Came out (in the states at least) 2011.) Urumi was off my radar--it wasn't subtitled stateside, was it? (I don't know whether you watch unsubtitled South Indian movies. I don't have much choice, now that I live in Bangalore. Not that so many south Indian movies are subtitled anywhere.)

Oh yay, somebody who doesn't hate Kat!! :D She was lovely and I don't understand how she got so easily labeled as a manic-pixie dream girl. Have people who claim this even seen the movie? -_- But yeah, definitely should stop messing with her face. I can't wait to see more Ali Zafar, that man is like a fresh breeze :) And his voice.. *swoon* And yes about Alexx in Urumi. The bad white people mostly look like caricatures yet I was pleasantly surprised here... he looked quite real. More movies with Puja Gupta please!! She's so sweet :) And I absolutely adore Charmi. Guess she isn't sexy enough to be of any interest to the male audience -_-